Sifter cap for powder containers



Oct. 22, 1935. B. J. F. BENTLEY 2,018,050

SIETER- CAP FOR POWDER CONTAINERS Filed May 24, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fiTTamve ys Oct. 22, 1935.

B. J. F. BENTLEY SIFTER CAP FOR POWDER CONTAINERS Filed- May 24, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Wi y $1 1 15. 7;, Evans 21mm;

Patented Oct. 22, 1935 SIFTER GAP FOR POWDER CONTAINERS Bede John Francis Bentley, Longfield, England Application May 24, 1934, Serial No. 727,240 In Great Britain May 30, 1933 6 Claims.

The present invention relates to sifter caps for powder containers and the like receptacles; that is, to devices for distributing the contents of such receptacles through a perforated plate, being adapted to any contents in powder form such as toilet powder, tooth powder, etc., and table condiments such as salt and pepper.

The object of the present invention is a sifter device of this character having a rotatable external closure member and internal spring closure means.

More particularly the invention has in view the provision of a positive spring closure without excessive stiffness, i. e., so that undue force is not required to move the closure member into the distributing position; closure spring means that will not become clogged by the powder contents of the container; and finally, cheapness in manufacture.

With reference to the last qualification, namely, cheapness, it is pointed out that in articles of this character the manufacturing cost is of the utmost importance and a small saving of cost in processing and assembling may make all the difference between successful commercial exploitation and uselessness of the article from a commercial point of view.

According to the present invention the abovementioned objects are achieved more particularly by using for the spring closure a substantially circular bow spring, one end of which is anchored on a stud or projection from the external rotary closure member and the other end on the inner face of the closed end of the fixed part of the device. The above-mentioned stud or projection passes through an arcuate slot in the fixed mem. her and serves to limit the movement of the rotary closure member on the fixed member.

The said bow spring is preferably formed with hooked ends, one of which is hooked round the said stud or projection and the other being hooked over a tongue stamped up from the material of the fixed end of the device. This arrangement substantially reduces the cost of the article by cheapening the assembling process; the springs being merely seized by forceps and dropped into place, where they hold their position definitely without further attention.

By using the circular bow spring the spring is given sufiicient length to enable it to yield suificiently to accommodate the full displacement of the rotatable member without becoming overstrained, and this type of spring provides a positive closure whiler-equiring only a small force for displacing the rotatable member to the distributing position.

The circular bow spring can easily be located so that it is out of alignment with the sifting perforations both in the open and closed posi- 5 tions and further this type of spring cannot be clogged by the powder contents of the receptacle as it has no tight convolutions.

The said spring may be formed either of an ordinary round wire or of a flat strip, the fiat be-' 10 ing of course arranged at right angles to the plane of the bow; this latter type of spring is particularly advantageous from the point of view of not being clogged by the powder and even if it should encroach on any of the sifting perforal5 tions it will not obstruct them.

The present invention consists in all the features herein described and illustrated, either together or severally or any combination thereof, as defined in the hereto appended claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one constructional embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an underneath plan view of the upper part of a toilet powder container having the im- 26 proved sifter device according to this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the showing of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an upper plan view of the upper part of the container and the fixed part of the sifter 80 device without the rotatable closure member and spring closure means;

Fig. 4 is an upper plan view similar to Fig. 3 but with the whole device assembled.

Figs. 5, 6, and 7 illustrate a modification, Fig. 35 5 being a View in elevation and Figs. 6 and '7 fragmentary views in section; Fig. 6 showing the device closed and Fig. '7 showing it open for distributing the powder contents.

Referring to the drawings:-

The upper part of the container is shown at I 59. The improved sifter device comprises a fixed portion H, 12, i3 and an external rotatable closure member 18. The fixed member comprises a neck portion 5 i and a closed end E2, the free end of the neck portion it being flanged at l3 for attachment to the container iii. The closed. end :2 is provided with sifting perforations M. In the illustrated example these are spaced at equal 50 distance from one another on a circle concentric with the circumference of the fixed sifter memher. The rotatable closure member is has its outer edge swaged or spun in to fit on the neck portion I I of the fixed member and its upper part 65 fits closely on the end part I2 of the fixed member.

The rotatable member is centred on the fixed member I I, I2 by means of a central rivet I1 and carries an inwardly projecting stud I9 which passes through an arcuate slot I6 formed in the end I2 of the fixed sifting member. The member I8 is further provided with sifting perforations 20 whose arrangement corresponds with that of the sifting perforations I4 of the fixed member and in one of the limiting positions of the rotatable member I8, as defined by the engagement of stud I9 and slot I6, the perforations at 20 and I4 are in register so that distribution of the contents of the container can take place. In the other limiting position of the member I8 the perforations 20 and I4 are out of register and an eifective closure is obtained. The member I8 is urged towards this (closed) position by a circular bow spring 2I having hooked ends 22, 23, the latter being hooked round the stud I9 and the former round a tongue I5 formed on the 'inner face of the end I2 of the fixed sifting member by stamping up a portion of the material thereof, near to the slot I6.

For convenience of operation the rotatable member I8 may be provided with a small operating tongue 24 which may serve as a convenient purchase for the finger'in opening the sifting device.

In Figs. 5, 6, and 7 a modification is shown in which the neck portion II of the device has a hole 25 punched therein and is dished at 26 round the hole 25, in which is inserted a plunger 21 having a shoulder 28 which seats in the dished recess 26 and acts as an outward stop for the plunger. The latter terminates in a bent wire 29 which is inserted in a hole 39 drilled in stud I9. Fig. 6 shows the normal position of the device. Pressing in the plunger, as shown in Fig. 7, drives the stud I9 along slot I6 to bring the rotatable closure member I8 into the open position with perforations I4, 2!] in register.

' What I claim is:--

l. A sifter device for receptacles for powder and the like, comprising a fixed distributing member having a closed end in which are formed sifting perforations and an arcuate slot, a cap member rotatable on the fixed distributing member and having sifting perforationsregistrable with the perforations of the fixed member, means projecting inwardly from said cap member and engaging in said arcuate slot to limit the rotational movement of the cap member relative to the fixed member and spring closure actuating means comprising a substantially circular bow spring of one convolution only having one end engaged with said inwardly projecting means and the other end anchored on the inner face of the closed end of the fixed member at a point contiguous to said arcuate slot.

2. A sifter device for receptacles for powder and the like, comprising a fixed distributing member having a closed end in which are formed sifting perforations and an arcuate slot, a cap member rotatable on the fixed distributing member and having sifting perforations registrable with the perforations of the fixed member, means projecting inwardly from said cap member and engaging in said arcuate slot to limit the rotational movement of the cap member relative to the fixed member and spring closure actuating means comprising a substantially circular bow spring of one convolution only having one end engaged with said inwardly projecting means and the other end anchored on the inner face of the closed end of the fixed member at a point contiguous to said arcuate slot, said circular bow spring being located out of alignment with the sifting perforations.

3. A sifter device for receptacles for powder and the like, comprising a fixed distributing member having a closed end in which are formed sifting perforations, an arcuate slot and a tongue projecting inwards near to said arcuate slot, a

cap member rotatable on the fixed member and so that the registrable perforations are out of register.

4. A sifter device for receptacles for powder and the like, comprising a fixed distributing member having a closed end in which are formed sifting perforations, an arcuate slot and a tongue projecting inwards near to said arcuate slot, a cap member rotatably secured on the fixed member by a central rivet, and having sifting perforations registrable with the perforations of said fixed member, a stud projecting inwardly from said cap member and engaging in said areuate slot to limit the rotational movement of the cap member relative to the fixed member and a substantially circular bow spring having recurved ends which are hooked, one over the tongue of the fixed member and the other over the inwardly projecting stud of the cap member, said spring being operative to rotate the cap member into the closed position, i. e., so that the registrable perforations are out of register.

5. A sifter device for receptacles for powder and the like, comprising a fixed distributing member having a closed end in which are formed sifting perforations and an arcuate slot, a cap member rotatable on the fixed distributing member and having sifting perforations registrable with the perforations of the fixed member, means projecting inwardly from said cap member and engaging in said arcuate slot to limit the rotational movement of the cap member relative to the fixed member and spring closure actuating means comprising a substantially ciroular bow spring having one end engaged with said inwardly projecting means and the other endanchored on the inner face of the closed end of the fixed member, together with plunger means operative on said inwardly projecting means to bring the cap member into distributing position, said plunger means projecting outwards through the side of the fixed distributing member for manual actuation.

6. A sifter device for receptacles for powder and the like, comprising a fixed distributing member having a closed end in which are formed sifting perforations and an arcuate slot, a cap member rotatable on the fixed distributing member and having sifting perforations registrable with the perforations of the fixed member, means projecting inwardly from said cap member and engaging in said arcuate slot to limit the rotational movement of the cap member relative to the fixed member and spring closure actuating means comprising a substantially circular bow spring having one end engaged with said inwardly projecting means and the other t end anchored on the inner face of the closed end of the fixed member, together with plunger means operative on said inwardly projecting means to bring the cap member into distributing position, said plunger means projecting outwards through the side of the fixed distributing member for manual actuation, and having a shoulder engaging the inner wall of said fixed distributing member to limit the outward travel of said 5 plunger means.

BEDE JOHN FRANCIS BENTLEY. 

